The Community Energy Challenge - pride and profits for local communities

As part of The Co-operative's Clean Energy Revolution, this exciting funding scheme seeks to identify up to 8 communities across the UK keen to develop projects that bring together local people and renewable energy initiatives.

In many parts of Europe energy projects are the fabric of life and hundreds of thousands of people are members of large co-operatives, or similar community bodies, which own and manage renewable energy generation. Though commonplace in Europe these large-scale community projects such as biomass district heating schemes, anaerobic digestion, hydropower plants and community-owned wind farms are few and far between in the UK.  The Community Energy Challenge, a new programme managed by the Centre for Sustainable Technology (CSE) on behalf of The Co-operative, intends to change that. The Challenge aims to provide a jump-start for communities to realise their renewable energy ambitions. Lack of technical know-how is not a barrier and communities with ambition are encouraged to apply.

The Community Energy Challenge will provide 12-18 months of enterprise development, mentoring, technical advice and community faciltation for 6-8 communities, enabling them to initiate renewable energy projects at a significant scale (e.g. valued at £1m to £3m and/or rated in excess of 500kW). In addition to CSE's support, it will also tap into further support from The Co-operative Enterprise Hub and The Co-operative Bank. The ultimate aim is to enable the communities to achieve the next stage: have the projects built and operating (for the benefit of local people).

CSE's Chief Executive, Simon Roberts OBE, said "The Co-operative's new intervention represents a major breakthrough. The Community Energy Challenge gives communities the opportunity to secure the support they need to get serious about developing the larger-scale renewable energy projects that generate real pride and profits for local people."

For further information and to download an application form visit www.cse.org.uk/projects/view/1178